REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation has transported 2 Orangutan Sumatera (Pongo abelli) from Lampung to Jambi, on Sunday (20/5). Both were rescued from animal smuggling in Bakauheni Port, Lampung.
After being transported to Jambi, both male and female Orangutan will be rehabilitated in Adaptation Station OOS Danau Alo Tanjung Jabung Barat. Then the 1-year-old Orangutans will be reintroduced in Reintroduction Station Pengian, Tebo District. Earlier, they were treated in Sumatran Wildlife Center (SWC) JAAN.
The handover were held in KSDA office Jambi from the Head of Bengkulu KSDA office to the Head of Jambi BKSDA, witnessed by Head of Forestry Department of Jambi, Head of Bukit Tigapuluh National Park Office, South Lampung Police Resort, South Lampung District Attorney, Bandar Lampung Class I Quarantine Office, Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), and Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN).
Earlier on April 26, 2021, Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) Bengkulu Lampung along with Bakauheni Port Police (KSKP), Agricultural Quarantine Office of Bakauheni, ans NGO Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) in an operation in Bakauheni Lampung Port have successfully rescued these two orangutan, which were smuggled from Lubuk Pakam North Sumatra using Tangerang bus. The case is now handled by Lampung Selatan Police Resort. Both orangutan became the evidence.
Minister of Environment and Forestry (LHK), Siti Nurbaya, accompanied by Director General of Natural Resources Conservation and Ecosystem (KSDAE), Wiratno, visited South Lampung on Monday (3/5). This working visit was aimed to monitor law enforcement, as well as appreciate those who have counteract orangutan smuggling.
Minister Siti named the female orangutan as Siti and Sudin for the male one. The name Siti is after her name, while Sudin is an appreciation for Head of Commission IV of House of Representatives (DPR) Sudin who visited SWC Jaan on Saturday (1/5) and gave his support for the rescue.
Head of Bengkulu Lampung KSDA, Donal Hutasoit, thanked everyone for its support and great cooperation. He also thanked all citizens who have rescued one of Indonesian flagship animals.
He fully supports that the rehabilitation is conducted in FZS Jambi orangutan shelter with more adequate facilities. “Both orangutan are still young so they need to be trained intensively until they are ready to be freed. They need to learn how to find food in the jungle, including how to find termite nest, how to make a nest in the tree, and how to select fruit,” he said.
Head of Jambi KSDA, Rahmad Saleh, welcomed the translocation process of the orangutans. He appreciated and thanked every party who have contributed to transferring and rehabilitating process. Along with FZS, Jambi KSDA office are ready to rehabilitate and reintroduce the orangutans to a new habitat in Bentang Alam Bukit Tigapuluh.
“Both orangutans will go through some quarantine stages in FZS orangutan shelter facility in Jambi for a thorough health checkup. Then, they will be habituated and rehabilitated in Danau Alo Station, Tanjung Jabung Barat. After that, they will be reintroduced in Pengian Reintroduction Station, Tebo. This is our responsibility in conserving biodiversity, especially Sumatran orangutan,” he said.
The Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelli) is a protected species. It is endemic to the island of Sumatra. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists orangutan in critically endangered status. Meanwhile, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora) classifies this animal in appendix I.
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